[Jeff_H]

After Charlie Morgan sold Morgan Yachts to pursue an America''s Cup defense, and after his failed America''s Cup attempt, he started Heritage Yachts (named for the 12 meter that he built). Heritage Yachts was a very parallel company to Morgan Yachts in terms of its product lines. Heritage built a one tonner race boat as well as a line of boats that were very similar to the Morgan Out Island series called the West Indies.

The Heritage West Indies 36 had a nicer hull form than its Morgan OI equivilient and was generally thought to be a little better built. These were not really ''offshore'' boats but were aimed at the charter trade. They offered a lot of room for the money, but were only so-so sailors.

One problem with the West Indies series is the use of a steel structure within the hull that has a tendancy to rust out over time and is very hard to get to to repair. They also had encapsulated low density ballast (concrete and iron I beleive) and so should be checked for delamination of the keel from the ballast.

Jeff